1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Device-to-Device (D2D) communications. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for supporting D2D communications that use device Identifiers (IDs).
2. Description of the Related Art
With advances in communication devices and communication systems, users of the communication devices require the services in which they can easily obtain their desired information at any time, or share the information with users of other devices or Mobile Stations (MSs). Recently, with the advent of smart devices, such as smart phones and tablet Personal Computers (PCs), an advanced environment has been established, in which users may obtain and share a wide variety of information through wireless communications.
However, in the case of wireless communication systems, users cannot obtain and share the desired information unless a communications infrastructure is built. In addition, it is not easy for the wireless communication systems to efficiently provide the real-time information which may be minor but useful in everyday life, due to the system complexity or time delay.
Accordingly, a D2D service has been emerged, which may take place through communication links between MSs without network entities, such as a Base Station (BS), in locations where no communications infrastructure is built.
In a cellular communication system, an MS performs communication using a temporary ID that is unique only in its BS and can be changed. For the temporary ID, its global uniqueness within the system is not guaranteed, but its security may be ensured. The term ‘temporary ID’ as used herein may refer to an ID that is assigned to an MS in order to access the BS.
On the other hand, an MS performing the D2D service performs communications using a Media Access Control (MAC) address. For the MAC address, its global uniqueness within the system may be guaranteed, but its security is vulnerable, so the location and other information of the MS may be exposed.
Therefore, there is a need for a way to perform communication using the IDs, whose global uniqueness within the system is guaranteed and whose security may be ensured like in the cellular communication system, in D2D communications.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present invention.